Blah
by Flashing The Floods
Summary: My attempt at almost Nathaniel/Castiel fluff for my wifey. Direct continue of C is for Crack's first chapter.


**Author's Note: Plotless borderline slashy fluff fluff crap. ****Rated for le usage of the F-word. A** continuation of C is for Crack's first chapter. It's not attached to that collection because it's irrelevant. I only continued this for my wifey, who thought my excruciatingly cliche, piece of shit excuse for a oneshot was freaking adorable :3 I hope I didn't let you down, Bugaboo. I looove you~ 

"You're so bossy," Castiel muttered, complying with the request to move over with another few quiet coughs. Nathaniel's lips twitched but he offered the comment no verbal reply as he slid under the covers beside the redhead.

Castiel laid back down, head hitting the pillow. "So how long are you sticking around for?" he asked, glazed eyes studying the blonde curiously.

"I don't know. How long do you want me to stay?"

The redhead shrugged. "I don't really care. But if you're gonna stay, lay down. You sitting up is bringing the covers up with you, and it's letting all the cold air in," he complained. Nathaniel laid down before he could think too much about how awkward it looked. Not that anyone was there to see anyway…

"That better?"

Castiel nodded.

Silence fell. Okay…Perhaps this was too awkward. Maybe he should leave after all. Anyway, what was he really doing here? He'd originally popped in just to drop off Castiel's schoolwork, absolutely _not _check on him at all because there was _no_ way he actually cared, and then leave. Now he didn't really know what know he was doing. It's not like the redhead was actually sick enough to need someone to keep an eye on him, and even if he was that role wouldn't really fall to Nathaniel. It'd probably fall to his parents-Oh right. They weren't there.

"You're lucky you have all this space to yourself," the blonde murmured suddenly.

Castiel lifted a brow. "I don't have it to myself. I got Demon. Anyway, my house isn't that big."

"I didn't exactly mean it literally. I mean there's nobody around to put pressure on you, load their expectations on to you, or take their own problems out on you. You've got room to breathe."

"Ooh, have we got problems on the home front, Mr. President?"

Nathaniel flushed, embarrassed that he'd spoken so freely. He sputtered for a response, but luckily his frenzied words were drowned out as the redhead broke into another coughing fit. "Fuck," he croaked hoarsely after it subsided. "As you were saying?"

"I was saying that-" the blonde was stifled as the fit resumed. He sighed and stood up, leaving the room and walking briskly to the kitchen. The filth of said kitchen disgusted him, with empty pizza boxes and styrofoam takeout containers scattered haphazardly about the marble countertops. Crumpled bags of chips and crushed cans of soda scattered the floor and accompanied the disaster on the counter.

Appalled as he was, Nathaniel ignored the obscenity for the time being and tiptoed over the rubbish to open the cabinet next to what must have been the sink. Thankfully the cups inside appeared cleanly and the blonde swatted one offending pizza box aside to confirm the existence of the sink. He filled a plastic cup with water and quickly made his way back to the bedroom.

"Here," he murmured, holding the cup out to Castiel. The redhead's coughing fit had ceased, but the mix of concentration and discomfort in his gaze told Nathaniel he was suppressing it. He sat up and accepted the water, chugging in a manner that made the blonde's nose wrinkle. Lowering the empty cup, Castiel fixed Nathaniel with somewhat of a defensive look. "I didn't ask you to do that."

"You're welcome."

"Hn." The redhead snorted softly and placed the cup on an already cluttered nightstand. Nathaniel resumed his place on the sheets. "By the way, when was the last time you cleaned your kitchen?"

Castiel shrugged as he slid down and rested his head on the pillow once more. "Don't remember."

"It shows."

"You wouldn't wanna clean it for me, would you?" Castiel asked, smirking a bit. A touch of drowsiness was starting to seep into his voice and accompany the feverish glint in his gaze. Perhaps the medicine was finally kicking in?

"Not my responsibility," Nathaniel replied flatly.

"Your loss. Cleaning it would be an adventure. You'd probly' discover a new species or something…" The redhead's eyelids were already drooping. Damn. Once that stuff kicked in, it kicked in hard. Before Nathaniel could comment on it, Castiel beat him to it. "I'm gonna go to sleep. If you take off before I wake up, lock the door on your way out."

"Okay."

With that, the redhead rolled over to face the wall and Nathaniel was left to his own devices. He let his mind wander. Naturally it went to school. He'd finished a lot of work today, and that was good. For the most part. Less things to do in the student council room meant going home earlier.

_Problems on the home front, Mr. President? _The redhead's teasing tone echoed in Nathaniel's thoughts. Oh yes, there were problems. Too many problems. Nathaniel stopped trying to fight them awhile ago. Now he just dealt with them and took them as they were.

As if stirred by his thoughts, a faint twinge of pain in Nathaniel's back reasserted just how _good_ he was at handling the escalation of familial predicaments. Then again perhaps he was selling himself short. Those bruises were at least a week old, and that incident hadn't repeated itself since.

A single shudder from the sleeping form beside him pulled the blonde teen out of his thoughts.

Nathaniel rolled over onto his side and softly scooted closer. He draped an arm around Castiel and breathed a sigh. It wasn't technically snuggling if all you were doing was sharing body heat, right? Then it was just…Uh…Well there probably wasn't a word for what it was, but it was nothing affectionate in nature, despite the way it looked. No, not at all. Just a logical solution to a problem.

It was a rather interesting experience, to say the least. Holding Castiel so close he feel the steady rise and fall of his chest. His breathing was gentle and tranquil, a touch of roughness only just perceptible, and Nathaniel wasn't sure whether to blame it on the recent coughing or the not-so-recent smoking habit. At any rate, it was soothing to listen such a consistent rhythm. So calm. So subtle. So peaceful. So unlike Castiel.

The bed was starting to feel a heck of a lot more comfortable than it was before. Not that Nathaniel had been explicitly uncomfortable in the bed, just that he hadn't noticed before how cushy it was earlier. How welcoming it was.

He absolutely was _not _dozing off. Just resting his eyes for a moment or two.

* * *

The first thing Nathaniel noticed upon awakening was that he was facing Castiel's ceiling. He was no longer on his side, but on his back. The second thing he noticed was that the still seemingly-asleep Castiel's head was resting on his chest. Nathaniel choked back a cry of surprise, rosy embarrassment coloring his face.

He briefly considered waking the redhead, or pushing him off and inching his way out from under him, but decided against it. That would probably be more problematic.

Breathing a soft sigh of resignation to his position, the blonde went lax. His golden gaze flickered back to Castiel. He looked comfortable enough using Nathaniel's chest as a pillow, cheek nestled into the folds of the wrinkled school shirt. Nathaniel also took notice of the arm that had securely curled around his waist and trapped him. Even if he had decided to just get up and leave, he'd have to pry off the redhead's embrace.

"You're even defiant in your sleep," Nathaniel murmured, gently sliding a hand under a tousled curtain of scarlet. He gently laid the inquisitive palm against Castiel's cheek. Still too hot. Moderately less so than before, however.

"And who said I was asleep?"

Sly charcoal orbs peered up at Nathaniel from under a parted red fringe. The blonde huffed and pulled away, trying to wiggle out of Castiel's grasp. "Well anyone normal wouldn't stay in that kind of position if they were awake. Let go. Get off me."

Castiel snorted and failed to comply with either request. "You started it. I woke up to you spooning me. And you didn't mind touching me a few seconds ago." The redhead's lips quirked deviously. "Anyone ever tell you how soft your hands are? Just like a girl's. Do you use lotion, Mr. President?"

Nathaniel instantly flushed. "I-I, you just…You're impossible." The blonde rapidly pried off Castiel's arm and scooted away like an inchworm on speed. He turned around and stood, pushing up from the mattress with a stilted sniff. "Goodbye," he muttered as he smoothed down his shirtfront.

"Leaving so soon?' The redhead looked up at him, a brow arched and a simper smile on his lips. "Just because of one little comment. You're as sensitive as a girl too."

Golden eyes rolled as Nathaniel straightened his collar. "You must be talking about yourself. And for the record, no, that's not why I'm leaving. I have other things to do today. I've wasted more than enough time here." It wasn't a lie. Nathaniel did have other obligations, as always. And in truth he didn't even know what time it was.

The blonde turned on his heel and made for the door. But something perturbed him, made him pause. Castiel hadn't shot off another comeback. Gold orbs flitted back to wavering charcoal ones. They hardened defensively. "Well, go already! I've wasted enough of your time."

Oh...That did sound exceptionally harsh. Nathaniel internally cringed and turned around to flash Castiel an apologetic look. "Ah, that's not what I meant."

Castiel shifted his gaze away and gave a one-shouldered shrug. "Whatever. Not like I care."

So that was how it was going to be? Insufferable.

The blonde padded back over and leaned over the side of the bed. He delicately swiped back the redhead's bangs and placed a kiss in the middle of his forehead.

He pulled back slowly and straightened himself, fighting a blush as he met Castiel's bewildered gaze. "If you're still not feeling well tomorrow, you can call me. Okay?"

"Mm. As if I'd ever. The less I see of you, the better." He smiled slightly, visibly reassured despite his words. "Ingrate," Nathaniel muttered, not without a trace of fondness. The blonde teen waved a hand in what might have been a parting gesture, but came off a dismissal. Taking his leave, Nathaniel closed the door quietly behind him and weaved his way to the front entrance.

He took the knob and turned, pulling it open. He froze in place, finding himself face to face with a young Victorian-styled man whose finger was a breath away from ringing the doorbell.

Lysander stared at him with pure incredulity. "…"

Nathaniel stared back, at a total loss for words. "…"

"…"

"…"

"Hi."

"Hi…"

"Sorry, it seems I'm still standing in your way." Lysander dipped his head and politely stepped aside. "I just wasn't expecting to see you here, is all."

Nathaniel nodded and shuffled outside. "Yeah, it probably is err…Surprising," he mumbled awkwardly. "But the teacher asked me to make sure Castiel got his work...And I did."

"You're quite dedicated to your position. I admire that." Lysander graced him with a simple smile.

"Thank you." Nathaniel smiled back, grateful the silver haired man didn't say anything other than that. With a slight dip of the head, he departed down the porch steps.


End file.
